Clipboards are used for many different applications such as securely holding papers and providing a user with a portable and convenient writing surface. Because of their portability, clipboards are often used in an environment that is not otherwise conducive to writing of information on paper. For instance, police officers normally use a clipboard as an aid to issue traffic tickets at the site of a traffic stop. Furthermore, traffic tickets may be issued at night when it is difficult for the issuing officer to efficiently fill out the ticket form using a traditional clipboard. At night, it is particularly difficult for a police officer to view a driver's license and copy driver's information from the driver's license to the ticket form without returning to police vehicle. Though officers normally carry a flashlight, it is awkward for the officer to hold the flashlight while simultaneously holding the clipboard, writing, and reading small print on the driver's license. All information about a person being stopped for a traffic offence is recorded by the officer reading the information from the offender's driver's license and writing the information onto a ticket.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/300,815 to Leanza entitled ILLUMINATED CLIPBOARD AND METHOD OF USING SAME, which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference, discloses an illuminated clipboard and method of use to aid police officers issue traffic tickets at night.